Home > Consumer Reviews > Archos Dex DVD-RW External DVD-RW Retail Kit with USB2.0 Cable

Wired up to Windows XP machine, switched on and all drivers were loaded without ANY user intervention.PC is rather new - 2 months or less and has latest service pack for Windows XP installed.
DVD writer is well constructed and takes up minimal desktop space.
DVD RAM disc recorded on PANASONIC VIDEO RECORDER is played back here with SUPERB RESULTS. This is even using a software decoder, but with a good graphics card RADEON 9800XT 256MB. Most important, the results are BETTER using the same software decoder (WIN DVD); than viewing a pre-recorded DVD.
All other formats record and retrieve information OK.
Supplied software is adequate for ordinary data saving activities and video processing, but something like ULEAD's new MOVIE FACTORY 3/ DVD disc creator; will edit video and process Dolby AC3 Audio for playback on a PANASONIC DVD RAM recorder / player more effectively.
To sum up, for data processing and video editing (read/write) this is ideal; as it is more flexable than a fixed DVD drive.
Thorougly recommend this drive on DVD RAM playback alone as the quality is staggering.

This device was bought principally to store large amounts of data economically particularly in terms of space. It (...) is the cheapest option (in the UK) by some margin for an external device capable of handling all types of DVD including DVD- RAM, as well, of course, as CDs. I have not, and do not plan to use it for video storage etc. and therefore cannot comment upon this aspect of its function.

It is supplied with a cable for connection to a USB 2 port, a power cable, and appropriate software. It is a neat and apparently well-constructed device which sits comfortably on top of my base unit.

My operating system is Windows XP, and it therefore needed no installation once connected.

It functioned well from the word go in reading CDs and DVDs, and it worked well writing data and music CDs, but I encountered problems writing data DVDs with my pre-installed Easy CD Creator 6 Platinum, although Nero worked well. I was in communication with Roxio to resolve this issue but, in the meantime, solved it myself, principally by uninstalling Easy CD Creator 6 Platinum, installing Easy CD Creator 5 Basic, which is supplied with the device, and having discovered that this worked uninstalling it and reinstalling 6 Platinum.

So far, having had the device for about one week I find it entirely satisfactory for the purpose for which it was supplied and I would recommend it to others looking for a similar piece of hardware.

nothing to review as the item was not working when taken from box very unhelpfull customer service from archos so beware if buying this companys products you have been warned